Beautiful Strangers
by shun-the-cyclops
Summary: What happens when Killian can't remember Emma? The tables have been turned and this time, theres no potion to bring his memories back. Can Emma befriend the stranger thats become of the man she loves? { takes place after the season 3 finale }
1. Chapter 1

I . The Stranger

It was like knives stabbed her feet with every step she took deeper into the hospital.

Just a day ago she'd been in the same spot, watching them take his unconscious body down the halls. She hadn't wanted to ever leave his side, but she had to. This morning she heard whispers around town, that he was alive, that he was waking up, and worse things that she couldn't bear the thought of. But those things could just be rumors, and that's why she was here, to make sure he knew her.

Emma couldn't help but smile slightly when she saw him, he was awake and sitting up, staring out the window. She was going to talk to him, and everything would be okay. She stopped at the doorway, "Killian, hey."

He looked at her and smiled, her hopes soared even further.

"And who might you be, lass?" Killian Jones spoke these unfamiliar words in an all-too familiar voice.

Now, she looked, and she realized that his smile was empty. Genuine, but empty. He was looking at her the way he had when the first met in the enchanted forest, and the time she was sent to distract him in their visit to the past. To the man sitting in front of her, she was nothing more than a pretty face.

"Emma," she started slowly, "Emma Swan. I'm uh, I'm the town sheriff." She extended her hand towards him to shake, hoping he didn't notice she was trembling. He took it in his and held for a moment before letting go.

"Well, Miss Swan, would you mind telling me where I am? Last I remember I was aboard my ship. Where is she? Where's my crew?" He paused and looked at her, "hang on, did you say my name?"

"Yes."

"Well that's fine but most people know me as –"

"Captain Hook, I know. You're in a town called Storybrooke," she was about to go on about the curse and everyone in the town but there wasn't a hint of recognition in his face so she decided against it. Someone else could tell him. "About your ship," _you traded it to save me, do you remember now? _"I'm not sure where it is but I'll tell the people at the docks that you're looking for it. If I find out anything I'll let you know." Emma rushed the words because all she wanted to do was turn around and run away. When she did finally turn to leave she let out a breath that she hadn't known she was holding.

"Miss Swan?" she looked over her shoulder at Hook, "it was nice to meet you."

She nodded quickly before leaving the room and once she was out of the hospital, she ran until her breath came out in sharp gasps and she couldn't feel her tired legs.

By the time she reached Mary Margaret's apartment, she was shaking so violently that she couldn't fit the key in the lock. Just days ago her expert hands could pick a lock without a key, now she stood outside the door and for the first time in weeks she felt terrifyingly alone. Snow and Charming and baby Neal were on the other side of the door, waiting to help her, to comfort her, but they wouldn't be able to chase away the storm brewing inside her mind.

It had taken months for her to even let him in, and now every word was gone. He was lost to her.

Emma didn't even realize she was crying until the door opened and her mother's arms were wrapped around her asking what had happened and then David was there too and she was leaning against the wall choking on the words "he doesn't remember" repeated over and over again.

They helped her walk inside and sit down, and gave her hot cocoa with cinnamon, but she couldn't even taste it, she had stopped crying, but not because she felt any better.

She couldn't feel anything at all.

**THREE DAYS EARLIER…**

Regina stood in the trees behind the cottage that Robin Hood and Marian now occupied, anger boiling. She had loved two men romantically in her entire life, one had died a long time ago, and now she watched the other through a foggy window as he leaned over and kissed his wife, blissfully unaware of the shooting pain in her chest.

"Regina, you have to stop this" she turned to face none other than Emma Swan, the woman who had caused this.

"Why?"

"Because you're just hurting yourself more. You can still have your happy ending, but not by watching him." Regina looked back at the house again, they now had a fire in the fireplace. It looked like a home, a good home.

"You shouldn't be talking, miss Swan. That could be me in there, you stole my happy ending, yet again."

"Regina, you were going to _kill_ that woman. I'm sorry I ruined a part of your life, but… I'm not sorry for saving hers."

Regina regarded Emma with glossy eyes, anger boiling in her throat. "I don't care."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. This," she pointed towards the house, "doesn't matter to me. I've lost my happiness time and time again and it doesn't matter what happened, what matters is who caused it. If I don't get him, then you don't get Killian."

"Don't touch Killian, none of this is his fault. If you're going to hurt me, hurt ME."

"Ah but what's the use of that? So he can comfort you? No, I intend to steal your happily ever after, and I don't care what I have to do, because theres no one to stop me anymore." With that, she pushed Emma out of the way and returned to her empty house with a new sense of purpose.

If she couldn't be happy, neither could Emma Swan.

**A/N : I've decided to start writing again, lets see how this goes. The story will most likely progressively get better since its been a long time since my last fic, so be patient with me, please. **


	2. Chapter 2

II . The Deal

"Mr. Gold?!" Emma yelled, opening the door to his shop so hard that it slammed against the wall beside it. "Mr. Gold!" she repeated when she saw that he wasn't standing in his usual place behind the front counter. She shouted again, peering around the shelves.

"You can stop shouting now, dearie." She almost jumped out of shock when he appeared behind her, but she turned to face him, her confidence unwavered. "What is it you'd like? I assume you're not here for the," he gestured around him, "fine antiques."

"Memory potion. I need some of that stuff that Captain Hook used on me in New York, do you have any?"

"I'm afraid not. And this is for our pirate friend, I would assume?"

"How do you know?"

"Its a small town, dearie, I hear things." he paced slowly in front of her, "I would love to help but alas, I can not. we're fresh out of memory potion."

"Please Gold we can make a deal. I'll give you whatever you want." now she was becoming desperate, she WOULD do anything for a small vial, even just a couple drops, not a whole dose, but enough to make him remember something, anything.

"I don't have the ingredients miss Swan. I'm sorry but I can't do anything for you."

"Please Gold, just something." Emma could tell that Gold was lying, or at least not telling the whole truth. he looked like he was holding something back and it just made her want to push further, but right at the moment, Belle appeared from the back of the shop, yawning.

"Good morning Rumple, what was that…." she stopped midsentence, noticing that Emma was there. "Emma, hello, what are you doing here?"

"I was just leaving." Emma said sharply, but Belle didn't hear her, she was already out the door.

Turning to Gold, Belle opened her mouth to say something but the look on his face stopped her. She didn't know why Emma was here, but she sensed both that he wasn't telling her something, and she had the oddest feeling that there was something she had forgotten. She knew that she shouldn't pry, but curiosity still prickled at the back of her mind. She didn't say another word because just then, Gold turned back to her and smiled a sad smile that made her forget to ask, and said, "come on, let's get breakfast."

**THREE DAYS EARLIER... **

"Rumpelstiltskin! I know you're in here!" Regina yelled, bursting through the door.

"Yes I am, what can I do for you?"

"I need something from you." She started slowly

"And what would that be?"

"I need the last of your memory potion."

"And why would you want that, dearie?" he challenged, "is there something you have forgotten?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, there is." She had forgotten what love felt like, and so now she would make someone else forget, it wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth.

"I'm afraid I can't give you the rest of my potion, I'm saving it for," Gold paused, "a rainy day, perhaps."

"Let's make a deal then, shall we?"

His face remained unchanged, "is that really the best idea?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

She smirked, "its in your best interest, _dearie,_ because I have something of yours," she held her phone out to him, on the screen was a picture of Belle, unconscious. "its simple poison, when given an antidote, she will forget that it ever happened," she continued, "but I'm the only one who has the antidote," she smiled at his grim expression.

"So what do you say, Rumple? Is your memory potion worth your precious Belle's life?"

**PRESENT DAY…**

Meanwhile, Emma was already well on her way to the hospital, carrying a sliver of hope that maybe something had changed overnight, even just a spark of a moment from the memories he lost could help. When she reached Killian's room, she stopped outside the heavy, wooden door, unsure of whether or not she had the strength to open it again. Finally she took a deep breath and pushed it open. Hook sat up in surprise when she entered the room.

"Sheriff Swan," Emma surpressed a sigh at his greeting, "to what do I owe the pleasure? Did you find my ship?"

She hoped she wasn't visibly cringing, "no word on it, I'm sorry Killian."

"You know, you never did tell me how you know my name." She looked at him sadly, wondering if he had been told anything yet.

"Has anyone else come to visit you yet?"

"No, and don't change the subject on me, Swan." He studied her face for a minute and then said, "there is something you're not telling me."

"I know you," she blurted out suddenly, and regretted it immediately after.

"I think I would remember a lass such as yourself…" he said, looking at the ceiling as if trying to remember.

"But that's the thing Captain, you don't. Something... no, _someone, _stole your memories, a lot of them. The time that you don't remember, well, its all of the time you've known me." She looked down at her feet, sighing.

"I'm sorry that I don't remember, but perhaps there's a way to get the memories back? Whoever stole them, they could help me get them back, right?" Emma almost snorted.

"Regina? No, she is of no use whatsoever. And the only man who could make a potion refuses to help as well. I'm sorry Killian, they might be gone for good."

"I'm sorry to you, Swan."

"Why?"

He sighed, "because I can tell that these memories I've lost meant something to you, and even though I don't know what that was, I'm sorry you have to see me like a stranger. Thank you for telling me though, that means a lot." She didn't respond, she didn't know how to respond. Here he was, a stranger, and he still could read her better than anyone else. "Emma, I can tell that seeing me is somewhat painful for you, so if you don't want to see me again, you don't have to come back." She stood up now, and looked down at him.

"No, I'll see you soon."

He smiled at her, "good, I'll be waiting."


End file.
